With over 20 years of experience covering the Steelers for the Observer-Reporter, Dale Lolley will let you know the insider scoop. Dale can also be heard on the Steelers radio network pre-game show on WDVE-FM game days and Tuesday nights from 6 to 8 p.m. on ESPN 970-AM and WDVE during the season as a host of the Antonio Brown Show. Follow him on Twitter at @dlolleyor

Thursday, September 20, 2012

Thursday news, notes

The good news for the Steelers is that Marcus Gilbert, Jonathan Dwyer, Mike Wallace and Emmanuel Sanders were all back at practice today after sitting out Wednesday.

That wasn't altogether unexpected for any of those players.

But James Harrison, Troy Polamalu, Heath Miller and Mike Adams were all sitting out.

I don't expect Harrison or Polamalu to play again this week. There's no reason with a bye waiting. The Steelers want those two healthy for the long haul.

Miller should practice - at least in some form Friday - and play Sunday. The needle cures a lot of ills, especially torn rib cartilage.

As for Adams, his missing practice might be the most serious.

The Steelers' top backup tackle, it's unlikely the Steelers dress the rookie unless he practices Friday. He's sitting out with a sore back.

With Gilbert also suffering from a strained groin, that could leave the team short at tackle.

The guess here is that if push comes to shove, they will move Ramon Foster to right tackle and put Doug Legursky at guard if something happens to Gilbert Sunday at Oakland.

Rookie Kelvin Beachum didn't show anything in the preseason to warrant getting any playing time.

@ Interesting to note that the line on this game has dropped to 4 points after the Steelers opened as 6-point favorites.

But there is some basis. The replacement officials have called home teams for 44.9 percent of the penalties. Compare that to a 51-49 split for the regular officials.

Possibly because of that, home teams are 23-9 straight up and
19-12-1 ATS through two weeks this season.On average over the previous three seasons, the home teams were 19-13 straight up and 16-15-1 ATS.Coincidence? Maybe. It's something we'll keep an eye on this week.

I live in SF and I can tell you, the Raiders (well, their fans) are expecting to lose this game. It will start loud and full of fury, but the Apocalypse of injuries that is the secondary for Oakland will make a Pittsburgh win very probable.

this game has "trap" written all over it. a banged up, veteran team expected to win traveling across country to play the underdog who just got blown out the week before. the underdog has a veteran QB and a good RB as well.

and are the raiders really that bad? they probably should have beaten the chargers if it weren't for losing their long snapper. and they were beating the dolphins at half-time before they imploded the second the half.

i expect the steelers will win, but i also expect it will be a close game.

Practice squad CBs will see the field for the Raiders on Sunday. I hope we don't spend an hour and a half attempting to establish the run because of what Reggie Bush did the other day. Attack, attack, attack, don't let the Raiders hang around. It'll be much easier to run once you've burned them a couple of times and you're up 17-3